36 Bible Verses about Heresies
Most Relevant Verses
for the mind is better improv'd by the gospel-dispensation, than by the distinctions about meats, in which some have been so uselesly vers'd.
from me, who called you by the grace of Christ; this can be owing to nothing but your being practised upon by some, who would overturn the gospel of Christ.
for the time will come, when they will not endure sound doctrine, but get teachers of their own corrupt taste, to sooth their ears that itch for flattery: which, while they are deaf to the truth, attentively listen to fables.
they can testify, if they will, that I early profess'd myself a Pharisee, a member of the most rigorous sect of our religion:
but some of the sect of the Pharisees who had embraced the faith, started up, pretending that the Gentiles ought to be circumcised, and observe the law of Moses.
being circumcised the eighth day, of the family of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew by descent, by sect a Pharisee. if zeal is to be regarded, I persecuted the church; if the integrity prescrib'd by the law, I am without reproach;
for the Sadducees maintain, there is neither resurrection, nor angel, or spirit, whereas the Pharisees acknowledge both: the clamour was great,
About that time the Sadducees, who say there is no future life, came and propos'd this question,
Afterwards some of the Pharisees, who deny there is any resurrection, accosted him with this question,
I do indeed own, that I serve the God of our nation according to the discipline they call sect: and believe whatever is written in the law and in the prophets.
this man is known to be a pernicious fellow that goes about the world to raise seditions among the Jews: he is the ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes,
but we should be glad to know your sentiments: for as to this sect, we are sensible it is every where inveigh'd against.
However some that arrived from Judea, told the Gentile converts, unless you are circumcised agreeably to the law of Moses, you cannot be saved.
they who desire to make a figure in the world, constrain you to be circumcised, only to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ. for even they who are circumcised, do not themselves observe the law in other respects; but they dedesire to have you circumcised, that they may have matter of glorying upon that account.
At my departure from Macedonia, I advised you to stay at Ephesus in order to charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, or trouble their heads with fables and endless genealogies, which rather promote disputes than the gospel-dispensation: such a charge will produce that charity, which arises from purity, from a good conscience, and a sincere belief:read more.
for want of which, some have lost themselves in frivolous disputes, pretending to be doctors of the law, tho' they neither understand what they advance, nor upon what it is founded.
For there are many, especially among the Jews, who are obstinate, vain talkers and deceivers;
who is so great an impostor as he, who denies that Jesus is the Christ? he is antichrist, that denies the father and the son. whosoever denieth the son, disowns the father:
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. by this you may distinguish the spirit of God: "every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is from God. and every spirit that does not own that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is not from God." this is that anti-christian spirit which you have heard was to come, and even now it appears in the world.
Now we conjure you, brethren, that with respect to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our being assembled with him, you would not by any pretended revelation, by any discourse or epistle ascrib'd to us, be immediately perplex'd in your minds, or under any concern for the approach of the day of the Lord.
Jesus answered them, take care not to be deceived by any one: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am the Christ: and shall deceive many.
Jesus answer'd by saying, take care not to let any one impose upon you; for many shall come in my name, and say, I am the Messiah; and deceive many.
he answered, take care, that you be not seduced: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am the Christ. it won't be long e'er this happens, therefore do not follow them.
Then if any shall cry, the Messiah is here, or he is there: give no credit to it. for there shall arise false Messiahs, and false prophets, and shall shew such astonishing miracles and prodigies, as to deceive, if that can do it, the very converts themselves.
Then if any one shall say to you, Christ is here, or, he is there, don't believe it. for false Christs, and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and prodigies, so as to seduce, if it were possible, even the very elect.
beware lest any one seduce you by the vain illusions of philosophy, founded upon human traditions, and meer shadows, and not upon Christ:
that we should be no longer children, fluctuating, and carried about with every empty doctrine, by men vers'd in sleight and the crafty arts of deceit:
If then you are dead with Christ, in respect of those shadows of the Jewish state; why do ye, as if you were still in that state, submit to those ordinances? "don't eat this, don't taste that, nor touch it:" which yet were all made to be consumed for our use, notwithstanding the injunctions and doctrines of men:
Now the spirit says expresly, that in the latter times some shall abandon the faith, by giving credit to seducing spirits, and the doctrine concerning demons;
by this you may distinguish the spirit of God: "every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is from God. and every spirit that does not own that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is not from God." this is that anti-christian spirit which you have heard was to come, and even now it appears in the world.
Do you then, my dear brethren, being thus forewarn'd, take care not to be seduc'd by those prophane impostors, and so lose the reward of your constancy.
For there are many, especially among the Jews, who are obstinate, vain talkers and deceivers; who ought to be curb'd, who pervert whole families, teaching things which they ought not, for sordid lucre. one of their own prophets said, "the Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, slow bellies."read more.
the charge is true: wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they maybe sound in the faith; not doating on Jewish Fables, and the tenets of men, that deviate from the truth.
By their artful discourses they will make you the tools of their avarice; but their condemnation has been a long time advancing, and their ruin is far from lingring.
but tho' I, or an angel from heaven should preach any thing to you for gospel, different from the gospel I have preached unto you, let him be accursed. as I said before, so say I now again, if any one preach any other thing to you for gospel, than what you have received, let him be accursed.
These are wells without water; clouds agitated with a tempest, who are consigned to the obscurity of eternal darkness. when their language swells with vanity, by applying to the sensual passions of the licentious, they allure those who were escap'd for a while, from such deceivers: whilst they promise others liberty, they themselves are slaves to their corrupt passions. for he that is vanquished, is a slave to the conqueror.read more.
As for those who have renounc'd the pollutions of the world, by their owning Jesus Christ for their Lord and saviour, if they are prevail'd upon to be entangled therein again, their last state is worse than the first. for it had been better for them, not to have made any profession of the gospel, than after they have embraced it, to abandon the holy injunction, that was delivered to them. but the proverb is exactly verified in them, "the dog is return'd to his own vomit: the sow that was wash'd, is wallowing in the mire."
